High Teas Lapsang Souchong Butterfly Loose Leaf Black Tea - Choice of Weight

🍵 The Leaf — Large, mature leaves from the Bohea cultivar of the Camellia sinensis plant, selected for their capacity to absorb pinewood smoke and carry it deep into the finished tea

🍵 The Liquor — A rich, dark amber infusion, full-bodied and smooth, with an immediate fragrance of pine resin and woodsmoke that fills the room before the first sip

🍵 The Character — Bold and unmistakably smoky, with layers of pine resin, dried longan, and a whisper of smoked paprika, underpinned by the natural richness of a well-oxidised Fujian black tea

🍵 The Occasion — A tea for slow afternoons, cold evenings, and contemplative moments — outstanding alongside cheese, dark chocolate, or anything that calls for bold, savoury depth

Few teas arrive with a story quite like Lapsang Souchong. This smoky loose leaf black tea from the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian, China is widely regarded as the world's first black tea — and the accidental origin of the entire global black tea tradition. According to historical accounts, it was born in the 17th century during a period of military conflict, when farmers in the Tongmu Pass area of the Wuyi Mountains were forced to dry a fresh harvest quickly over burning pinewood to prevent it spoiling. The result was a dark, smoke-scented leaf unlike anything produced before. Dutch traders, undeterred by its unusual character, took it to Europe and found a willing audience. The rest is tea history.

The production method that gave Lapsang Souchong its character has changed little since. After plucking, the leaves are withered, rolled to break the cell walls and encourage oxidation, then placed in bamboo baskets on racks above smouldering pinewood fires. It is this slow, careful smoking that draws the distinctive aroma into the leaf — a fragrance of pine resin and woodsmoke that is unlike any other tea in the world. Properly made, the smoke complements rather than overwhelms, and the underlying black tea character — full-bodied, smooth, and rich — remains very much present.

In the cup, Lapsang Souchong Butterfly pours a deep, warm amber, with an aroma that announces itself across the room. The flavour is bold and layered: pine resin and smoke at the fore, followed by notes of dried longan and smoked paprika, with a smooth, naturally low-bitterness finish. It does not need milk or sugar, though both can be added according to preference. Cold and iced preparations work particularly well in the summer months, and this tea has long been prized as a companion to cheese, cured meats, and peated Scotch whisky. Famously, it was a favourite of Winston Churchill.

Since 2008, High Teas London has been one of the country's leading independent tea specialists. With over 350 teas and infusions — one of the largest collections anywhere in the UK — we have always sought out teas with genuine character, provenance, and story. Lapsang Souchong Butterfly earns its place in that collection.

Ingredients: Black tea (Camellia sinensis), pine smoke.

Brewing Note: Lapsang Souchong Butterfly benefits from freshly boiled water and a slightly shorter steep than you might expect. Use one heaped teaspoon of leaf per cup, pour water at around 95°C, and steep for 3 to 4 minutes — longer steeping deepens the smokiness considerably, so taste as you go and find your preferred balance. This tea can be brewed without milk for the cleanest expression of pine and resin, or with a small dash of milk if you prefer a softer, more rounded cup. It also makes an excellent cold brew: add a generous measure of leaf to cold water, leave in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours, and strain for a smooth, gently smoky iced tea with no bitterness at all.

*This item dispatches from one of our carefully selected UK based shipping partners. It may ship at a different time to the rest of your order and possibly take a little longer to arrive.*